Bin gate



Aug. 29, 1933.

A. D. SINDEN BIN GATE Filed Sept. 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 29, 1933. D, $|NDEN 1,924,419

BIN GATE Filed Sept. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. .29, 1933 1,924,419 BIN GATE Alfred D. Sindcn, Aurora, 111., assignor to Stephens-Adamson Mfg. Illinois 00., a corporation of Application September 24, 1931 Serial No. 564,814

18' Claims. (01. 221145) This invention relates to those devices used to control the flow of lump, granular or powdered material from and to containers, vehicles, con-' veyors, etc., and what are commonly called bin' gates, and'the principal object of the invention is to provide a structure that can be opened or, closed to the desired extent with great ease and with little wear.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be revealed as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the best practical embodiment of the invention now known, and which 15 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a bin gate and the adjacent portions of a storage 'bin;-

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the bin gate;

29 Fig. 3 is a plan view with a portion of the bin gate broken away;

Fig. 4 is, a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustratingthe mounting of the latches and their relations to the gate beams and the latch operating cam;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectionaLview of one of the side pieces or girders used in" making the gate frame, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the latches.

But these specific illustrations and the description are here used for the purpose of disclosure only for, while they makeknown the best embodiment of the invention yet developed, the gist of the invention can be embodied in other forms which should fall within thescope of the claims.

In the drawings. 10 indicates a diagrammatic representation of the lower part of a storage bin, hopper, or the like, which obviously varies in form and arrangement according to the circumstances and personal preference of each case. The improved bin gate is provided with a frame composed of channel shaped cast iron girders, or side pieces 11, connectedadjacentrto their ends by angle bars 12 welded thereto. The horizontal flanges of the frame members are secured to the horizontal flanges of angle bars 13, which surround the opening in the bin 10, and have their vertical flanges secured to the bin.

50 The gate closure is a flexible member here composed of a series of gate beams 14 and a belt 15, one end, 16, of the latter'being made fast to the vertical flange of the front angle piece 12. Y

The-beams 14 and, therefore, the belt 15 are moved into closed position by two rollers 1'7, acting upon the flattened lower side portions 18 of the beams, as best illustrated in Fig.4. And the beams are each held or'supported in closed position by two latches 19. (See Figs. 4,5 and 7.).,

The latches 19 have intermediately located trunnions 20 from which the heavier and longer arms 21 depend, and terminate in the hooks 22. Above the trunnions is a short arm 23 terminating in a knob 24 to cooperate with the operating cam, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.

The side beams or girders 11 are providedwith a series of slots 25 (Figs. 4 and 6) through which 'the arms 21 of the latches pass. At each side of the slots 25 the lower flange is provided with the ribs 26 which, together with the flllets 27 adjacent to the web 28, form seats or bearings for the trunnions 20. Gussets 29, between the web 28 and the bottom flange, reenforce the structure.

Tlie rollers 17 (Fig. 4) are journaled on a transverse shaft 30, fixed in the lower ends of hangers 31, the upper ends of which carry stub shafts 32 on which are journaled flanged wheels 33 that travel along the track rails 34 formed by the outer edges of the bottom flanges of the side pieces 11.

e The shaft 30 is moved back and forth by a rack 35, driven by a pinion 36, and having its front end flxed to the shaft 30 by abracket 37.

The pinion 36 is. fixed to a driving shaft 38, journaled in brackets 39 and 40, secured to the front angle 12 and one side piece 11, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. And the outer end of the shaft is equipped with a pulley 41 for a power belt 42. i Y

The teeth 43 of the rack are on top and its lower portion is channel shaped, as best shown in Fig. 4. The bracket 39 hasa loop 44 serving as a guide and support for the rack 35. An arm 45 on the bracket 37 carries a bar 46 to which the movable end of the belt 15 is made fast.

Each stub shaft 32 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) is equipped with a cam 47, having a' relatively long arm 48 at one end and a relatively short arm 49 at the other end, the curvature of which is more clearly shown than it can 'be described.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the gate is shown partly opened. To more fully close it the pulley 41 is driven in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2, moving the rack 43 to the left and driving the rollers 17 under-the gate beams 14 that are hanging downwardly. Each beam is thus rolled into closed position succession as thefrollers 17 pass to the left. The long arm 48 Vance of the rollers 'iginand, acting upon the of each cam 47 is in ad- 11 X knobs 24, tilts the latches 19 to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5. As the highest part of the rollers '17 reach the middle of a beam 14 the knobs 24: pass along the inclined surfaces of the arms 49 and allow the latches to asor closure section as the roller passes away, so

that the operating device works against a relatively small part of the pressure as it forces each beam, or closure section, into closed position. In this way the closing is rendered easy and within the ability of a relatively small amount of power. Alsothe operating device is not at any time called upon to support the total pressure on the closure,

whereby it can be made lighter than if it had to bear the entire load.

In opening the gate to any extent the rack 43 is moved to the right in Fig. 2, the arms 49 of the cams 47 serving to rock the latches to the solid line position shown in Fig. 5, as the pressure on the beam is taken by the rollers 17, and the long arms48 of the cams prevent the latches from reengaging the beams so that they descend by gravity, as indicated at the left in Figs. 1

and 2.

Whether the gate frame is supported from the bottom of the bin or on special structure will depend upon local circumstances, and personal preference in design.

In-retrospect it will be seen that the organization includes a frame which provides a mounting for the latches to give actual support to the sections .of the closure and a track for the operating member which progressively moves the closure into place operating the latches in proper timed relation, or releases the latches and allows the closure to progressively. open, according to the conditions of service. And, obviously,the gist of the invention lends itself to embodiment in many forms suited to the varied conditions existing in the practical field.

The use of a belt of rubber, or the like, in connection with beams provides a closure which will hold finely powdered material, and when only coarse material is to be handled the flexible, closure will be varied in forms accordingly.

When the beams are used they can be'reenforced by flangesBO, or otherwise, to provide 7 strength suited to the pressures of the material on the closure.

Since the flexible closure hangs slack at the left end, it is not under tension and does not press horizontally against the rollers 17. The slack belt, and light moving parts which are pressed upon by the bin contents only at the point of contact of the rollers 17, cause a great reduction in friction. The almost complete elimination of friction, together with the'fact that the closure is moved into position or out of position one beam at a time, provides far greater ease of operation than any previously known device.

I claim as my invention 1. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted whenin closed position to "span the gate opening, and movable latches to support the beams.

2. A bin gate comprising agate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adaptedwhen in closed position to span the gate opening, movable latches to support the beams, and means for moving the beams into-closed position and having a rolling action on the underside of the beams.

4. A bingate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, movable latches to support the beams, and means for moving the beams into closed position and having a rolling action on the underside of the beams and a tilting action on the latches. U v

5.1 A bin gate comprisinga gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, latches to hold the beams in closed position, and an operating device mounted to traverse the gate opening and having means to roll the beams into closed position, and means to operate the latches to release the'beams for opening the gate and o grasp the beams for closing the gate.

6. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having ries of gate beams adapted to span the opening to close the gate, a belt lying across the series of beams, latch means to support the beams in closed position, and an operating device adapted. to traverse the track rails and move the beams into closed position.

,8. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a flexible closure for the opening, means for moving the closure into closed. position against the pressure of material to be held and separate means for supporting the closure in closed position.

9. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a flexible closure for the opening, means for progressively .moving the closure into closed position against the pressure of the material to be held, and separate means for progressively making. the closure fast.

10. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to spanthe gate opening, and means for moving the beams into closed position, one at atime, and separate means for supporting them in closed position. r

11. A bin gate comprising agate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, and means-for moving the beams into closed position, one at a time, and

latches for suporting each beam in closed position, a

12. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adaptedwhen in closed position to span the gate opening, movable latches to support the beams, means for moving the beams into closed position, and means carried by the last named means for operating the latches.

13. In a bin gate, a flexible closure, a plurality of pivoted latches for supporting the closure in closed position, an operating device adapted to move the flexible closure into closed position by a rolling action, and to operate the latches to engage successive portions of the closure after being brought into closed position.

14. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, track fails at opposite sides of the frame, a series of pivoted latches at the same sides of the frame, a flexible closure for the gate opening, and an operating device traveling on the rails to move the closure into closed position gradually, and having means to operate the latches.

15. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, an operating device mounted to traverse the gate opening, having means to roll the beams into closed position one at a time, and carrying a cam, and latches adapted to be moved by said cam to permit each beam to be rolled into position or to drop out of position, said latches having hooks which entirely support each beam after it has been rolled into position.

16. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be dischargedfa series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, an operating device mounted to traverse the gate opening, having means to roll the beams into closed position one at a time, and carrying a cam, and latches adapted to be moved by said cam to permit each beam to be rolled into position or to drop out of position, said latches being pivotally seated in the lower flanges of two girders forming opposite sides of said gate frame, and having hooks which extend through slots in the lower flanges of said girders and entirely support each gate beam after it has been rolled into position. I

17. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, track rails adjacent to the sides of the opening, an operating device having rollers which run on the track rails and support the device as it traverses the opening, having means to roll the beams into closed position one at a time, and carrying a cam, and latches pivotally mounted in seats on the track rails, adapted to be moved by said cam to permit each beam to be rolled into position or to drop out of position, and having hooks which entirely support each beam after it has been rolled into position.

18. A bin gate comprising a gate frame having an opening for material to be discharged, a series of gate beams adapted when in closed position to span the gate opening, an operating device mounted to traverse the gate opening, having means to roll the beams into closed position one at a time, and carrying a cam, and latches at the ends of each gate beam, adapted to be moved by said cam about as the rolling means comes in contact with said beam, either during opening or during closing of the gate, to allow the beam to drop out of position during opening, or to be rolled into position during closing, said. latches being allowed by said cam to drop back to theiroriginal position about as the rolling means passes out of contact with the beam, so that, after the beam has been rolled into closed position it is entirely supported by said latches.

ALFRED D. SINDEN. 

